When in London recently, I saw the Supremes exhibition at the V & A. It was more about the rising up of black people from the south and their journey from the lands of cotton picking to the Motor City, where good paying jobs could be found. There was strife along the way. Martin Luther King’s speech, “I have a dream” rallied the people and culminated in a series of riots during one of the hottest summers in the 60’s several years later. In fact, some of these burnt out blocks have never been rebuilt and stand as a memorial of this terrible time. I was struck by the reminder that Martin Luther King was assassinated in April 1968. Forty years later, a young black man, Senator Obama was running for President.
I had a sense that in this 40 year span, there was a divine plan at work. Forty is the time of waiting in the Bible. Moses waited forty years working on the land before his calling. The Israelites waited 40 years to be taken to the promised land. Jesus was tested by Satan for 40 days and 40 nights. Chills ran down my spine. It was clear to me that this was Obama’s time. This was confirmed in Tuesday’s election.
Did we have a previous chance to move the world in a different direction and did we fail in our first try? Is this all part of God’s plan for us? If so, what are we to be doing differently?
After 911, I felt that America had a chance to reach out to the world in love and humility. What could have possibly brought about such wrath? Was it a chance to bow down to our heavenly Father in prayer or was it a time to take up arms and dust off the same old weapons? I believe that nations around the world were filled with empathy for America at that time. Could we have changed the course of the world by reaching out to them and holding hands around the world?
In the book of Jonah we read of a man called by God to preach to the people of Ninevah. Jonah refuses and is swallowed by a whale. Finally he is spewed out of the whale and he does as he was told. He preaches a gospel of salvation and the people are saved. The message here is that God will have his way with us one way or the other. If one tactic will not do, he will use another. If God wants something to happen, it will happen.
We had our first chance to repent and start anew. The events of the last few months have been like a waterfall of woes. Falling markets, falling economy, and tales of doom abound. Enter Obama. Groomed for this task, plucked out of the ocean of humanity for just this time. God has a plan and it will happen.
So what are the new ways of looking at the world? Jesus came with love, salvation and the offer of grace. He was crucified and died for our sins. I believe that if we can reach out to one another in unity and peace, forgive one another, and work together with citizens from every land, we can mend fences and build a better world. Let’s get down on our knees and ask for the grace to make it happen.
